Parenting, especially when it comes to young children, requires a level of constant vigilance. Babies and toddlers in particular don’t understand the concept of danger and need close supervision, especially during bath time. Tragically, a young Texas father learned this lesson the hard way following a major lapse in judgment.
Justin Kidwell, 20, allegedly left his 8-month-old daughter alone in a bathtub so he could play video games. After a period of time, he returned to discover the infant had drowned. Now, he is facing murder charges for his apparent negligence.
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The dad was arrested this week.
On March 4, Kidwell was arrested in Burkburnett, Texas, in connection with his daughter’s death in May 2023. A statement released by the Burkburnett Police Department on Facebook noted that officers responded to a call about “an unresponsive infant” on May 14. There, they encountered an 8-month-old girl in a bathtub who was “tragically deceased.”
Kidwell is being held on a $500,000 on a felony murder charge.
Initially, he claimed he left his daughter alone for just a few minutes.
According to an arrest affidavit, Kidwell told police officers he left his daughter unattended for between 30 seconds to a few minutes, KAUZ reported. He allegedly left the water running with the baby in the bathtub to retrieve headphones and to speak with a friend on the gaming platform Discord. The affidavit noted the water ran long enough to cause the bathtub to overflow and for water to flood an air vent and to soak rugs outside of the bathroom.
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An investigation revealed he was 'engrossed in video games' when the baby drowned.
The Burkburnett Police Department investigated the circumstances surrounding Kidwell's daughter's death for nearly a full year. Ultimately, evidence on his electronic devices revealed he was “engrossed in video games while the child was left unsupervised.” Kidwell was the only adult present at the home when his 8-month-old drowned.
Kidwell has a prior offense of child endangerment.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Kidwell has endangered the safety of a child. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to a charge of child endangerment, People reported. Records indicate he allowed a minor younger than 15 to be near a controlled substance or to consume it.
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The police department issued an important safety reminder.
"This tragic incident serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of parental supervision, particularly when it comes to the safety and well-being of our children," the Burkburnett Police Department noted in its Facebook statement. "The loss of a young life is a devastating blow to any community, and our hearts go out to all those affected by this heartbreaking event.
"We urge all parents and caregivers to remain vigilant and prioritize the safety of children in all circumstances," the statement concluded.
